Smash open the window
by TheLadyMuse
Summary: Part 5 of Keiyaku no Kazoku. Fukuroudani is the school of a wealthy young scion who decides to take care of his teammates. His family's University, Teppodama U, opens the doors to many volleyball players, several scouted on the recommendations of Bokuto or his many cousins- cousins that include Kageyama Tobio, Kinoshita Hisashi, Shimizu Kiyoko and Kozume Kenma.


Bokuto Koutarou has had his life mapped out for him since the day he was born. He would go to a conveniently located preschool and primary school, and a middle school and high school that would serve his needs. He would then go to the mysterious, prestigious, Teppodama University in Nagano, and if he didn't train as an athlete, he would work toward his degrees for whatever job he desired on his own dime. His trust fund existed for a reason, after all.

He was quite surprised to have a string of confessions in his third year. A string that only grew longer the closer graduation grew. He told them all the same thing.

"Thank you, but I got accepted to Teppodama University in Nagano. I don't feel comfortable engaging in a relationship while preparing for university, especially when it's so far away."

That's what he told everyone, up until his setter quietly asked him about the words. The young Ace stood, sighing to himself as he turned away from the other male. No matter how much he loved him, there was no denying the distance.

"Keiji." The single word says a lot to Akaashi. His spiker hasn't mangled it like he does Keiji's family name. It's sincere, with a rich tone of affection and sadness, the secret relationship between them a strong, vibrant tie. Bokuto continues

"You and I are going to live very separate lives for the next year or so. I think it best if we consider whether or not continuing our relationship for that year is a good idea." For his part, Keiji is confused. Later, he'll be devastated, possibly angry. For now, though…

"Explain, Koutarou." The older male doesn't flinch at the ice cold tone. He sighs, runs the blunt fingers of his hand through his hair and replies in a tight, clipped voice

"You have opportunities ahead of you, Keiji. A reputation to protect, schools that will be clamouring for your attendance. Romantic entanglement with a former senpai- a former, _male_ senpai- will not help you." Implied but unspoken is that, unlike Koutarou, Akaashi is bisexual. Koutarou has never held it against him, but from those few sentences and that implication, Akaashi has already deduced that Bokuto wants him to live a normal life. To fall in love with and marry a woman, father children on her.

Akaashi's gut twisted. _No! Koutarou, please!_

Those are the words he wants to say. Wants to beg his big, beautiful boyfriend to reconsider this idea. But Koutarou continues before he can say anything

"I shouldn't tell you this, but Teppodama wants me to be happy. You'll be getting an offer from them pretty much the moment your first game as Captain ends." Golden eyes meet Keiji's with all the grave sincerity he didn't usually display.

"If you decide to attend Teppodama and want to resume our relationship, that is entirely your choice, Keiji. IF you'd rather not have anything to do with me, well, that's also your choice." He turned, as if to walk away, but Keiji jumped up, blurting

"Koutarou, wait for me!" Blinking owlishly, Bokuto was distracted by the armful of Akaashi that had practically jumped into his arms. Slightly shocked, he gripped Akaashi's body close and murmured

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Keiji, but I need you to be absolutely certain." Akaashi's own grip didn't waver, and he muttered

"Don't be stupid Koutarou." The bigger male chuckled against him and he whispered

"I think I know how to make sure we meet up at least a few times while I'm away, if that's what you want." Keiji mumbles an affirmative while nuzzling into Bokuto's chest, happy that instead of them waiting for each other, they're going to maintain their relationship.

 **SMASH OPEN THE WINDOW**

Letting go of Koutarou and not getting to see where he's going is hard for Akaashi. What's harder is that all the third year starters and Shirofuku were recruited by Teppodama University, same as Kuroo Tetsurou and Yaku Morisuke from Nekoma, Sugawara and Shimizu from Karasuno, and the Fukuroudani Alliance Group (of which Karasuno is once again a proud member, and one the others are proud to stand beside) throws a party. Bokuto has invited the teams from Miyagi that also have Teppodama recruits. Or, former players, as they retired after Karasuno beat them.

Akaashi is probably the only one prior to the arrival of the guests (many of whom brought their significant others) that knows Bokuto only invited them so he could see his cousins again before he graduates.

Miyamoto Shizuha, Kazama Naomi and Genbu Azusa have been the dance giants of their region since their rookie year. It's no surprise that they are related to the Fukuroudani Ace. It is amusing to watch Bokuto's cousins stride over, each dressed in neat, tank top style tennis dresses, ribbing each other and Bokuto. He greets each young woman with a firm bear hug and sharp glance at the boys hovering nearby.

Semi Eita, he greets with a genuine warmth, having met him periodically through their teens. Akaashi surprises everyone when he admits that he would prefer if Sugawara and Semi took care of Bokuto. Both setters promise to do so with dazzling smiles, Kiyoko and Azusa also agreeing.

Yachi Hitoka, despite being surprised that her own favourite wing spiker Kinoshita is a cousin of Bokuto (distantly, he's more closely related to the Genbu sisters) takes it in stride.

Moniwa, too, is going to be a setter for Teppodama, and it should be too many, Akaashi thinks, given that he and Kenma will join the program next year. But, Bokuto, who seems to know the most about Teppodama University, explains that the program advisor plans to have both A and B teams, with the extra players shuffled around as needed.

"Even better, each team is going to be fielded as individual reps of the school!" Bokuto crows, before saying giddily

"Semi and Suga will be the starting setters, probably, but Moniwa will definitely get a workout! Ain't that great, Nao-chan?" Kazama Naomi sticks her tongue out at Bokuto and declares

"It would be better if _Kaname_ was a starting setter, but since no one gets everything, I guess it'll do." Shizuha giggles from next to Iwaizumi, howling with laughter when Oikawa stares around in horror at all the people his precious Iwa-chan will be playing with.

It's a loud party, with lots of Volleyball being played, the former captains retaking their posts when their kouhai insist they have that, one last time. Ushijima, having also been recruited to Teppodama after losing his scholarship to Todai because he lost to Karasuno, insists Shiratorizawa's third years play with Semi as their setter for one last set.

If nothing else, Shirabu's expression when his senpai tosses a winning set is funny. Because Semi was right, Shirabu was wrong, and the sooner he admits it, his sort-of girlfriend Ashika (who is Azusa's sister and adores Semi for how he treats her) will forgive him.

Of course, at the moment, Ashika is busy cuddling with her cousins or dancing around with her older sister, so she doesn't really have time for apologies.

Akaashi isn't really sure what to make of his boyfriend's cousins. On the surface, they're a bunch of giggling girls who like to dance. But he knows better, he's seen the way Shizuha lowers her gaze submissively instead of challenging Bokuto. Naomi might have stuck her tongue out and lashed at Bokuto's dismissal of Moniwa's skills- even if it hadn't really been that- but she won't move from the dark-haired male's side. Kagari Tsubaki and Himawari both have a sense of meme humour that rivals the dynamic duo of their boyfriends, Hanamaki and Takahiro but neither hesitates to follow an order from Captain Azusa.

Kenma, too, they find out, is a cousin of the Miyagi girls, though they merrily laugh off the confusion of Nekoma by saying that 'cousin' is the general term for a relative of the same age, and that their clan is far flung enough that they don't always know each other on sight.

The same thing happens when they greet Kageyama with a chorus of kisses and hugs and giggles, and he genuinely smiles for what feels the first time in forever.

Either way, the party ends on a very high note, Shiratorizawa, Aoba Johsai and Datekou all interested in either taking part in or hosting practice games. All the players are practically vibrating with excitement. All but Akaashi and Onaga of Fukuroudani, and their newly promoted manager, Suzumeda Kaori, who had staked out a claim on Konoha's left side, pressing against him with an uncharacteristic clinginess that the new captain recognizes. The terror of a kouhai losing their sempai, and someone losing a person they treasured. He knows because he's done that to Bokuto, but always in private.

Keiji would envy them that, especially when Konoha scoops Suzumeda into his lap, calming her with broad strokes of his palm against her hair. However, he, and, surprisingly, Koutarou, are both very private about their personal affairs. He bites his lip when he sees the way Onaga eyes Suzumeda with envy. That will have to be handled delicately, he knows.

 **SMASH OPEN THE WINDOW**

Suzumeda Kaori had enjoyed the send off for the old team to a point. It had been loud, and there was food, and volleyball was being played. But it was the last team event Konoha had attended. Well, he'd said she could call him Akinori, since he would no longer be her sempai come April. Kaori both did and did not like this development. On the one hand, he liked her enough to encourage the use of his given name, and on the other, he was only doing so because he was leaving.

With a sulky sigh, she tucked into her lunch, freezing when Bokuto sat down beside her. Turning, she bit back a yelp when she noticed the grim look on his face. His uncharacteristic quiet of the last few months has not really helped his reputation as a moody brat.

"If I look after Konoha, will you watch over Akaashi and Onaga?" The soft query surprises Kaori, but she agrees quickly, delighted when Bokuto asks for her cell number in order to send pictures of Konoha. She quickly asks him for his, so as to return the favour, still so delighted with this turn of events.

After graduation, where she is surprised that all her sempai want pictures with her- though, they mysteriously accede most of her time to Akinori, who keeps her tucked against him. More then that, when boys approach her, Akinori isn't the only one to glare at interlopers. Akaashi raises a brow from where he stands beside Akaashi, Onaga and Washio bracket the group, flat stares emulated by Komi and Sarukui even as Shirofuku giggles.

It's nice, Kaori decides, tucking her face into Akinori's chest to stifle her giggles when the older brother of another graduate tried to flirt with her and her entire team gave him a look that said 'excuse me bitch?'.

Like Akaashi, of course, she has to let go of Konoha so he can make the trip to his university. It stings like a cut across her heart, that in the just-less-than-a-year that she's known Konoha Akinori, he's completely swept her off her feet without much effort. She wants to say it's not fair, especially when everyone but the Fukurodoudani pairs are leaving everything behind together. It's not true, she knows. Kuroo of Nekoma has handled leaving Kenma well, but she knows Bokuto's been pestering him about his own admission to Teppodama.

 **SMASH OPEN THE WINDOW**

Unlike his captain, Sarukui Yamato isn't anything but what he looks like. Bokuto looks wild, strong and energetic, but he has his moods. He adores Akaashi, Bokuto does, and part of Saru envies him that much. But Saru also knows- knows but can't tell- that the only reason so much of Fukuroudani has been accepted to Teppodama on 'scholarships' is that Bokuto had provided the funds, despite the fact that they'd been recruited for their skill and academic scores.

It hurts. To know that Bokuto wants them around badly enough to pay for their education, and not be able to say anything about it. He wants Komi, Konoha, Shirofuku and Washio to know. He wants Akaashi, Onaga and Suzumeda to know that if they need the funds, no matter where they want to go, Bokuto will provide it for them. Because he loves them. Because he's their captain, and seems to think helping them is still his responsibility.

Still, he has work to do.

The Teppodama U orientation needs to be sat through. Surprisingly, it's neither boring or awkward. They're sorted not by their academic groups, but by their sports affiliations, and that's even easier. He knows the Tokyo gang, and Karasuno, is aware of Iwaizumi Hajime and the meme team that flank him, of the Shiratorizawa trio that is all tall, brute strength.

What Saru was definitely not prepared for was the music.

The huge, ancient castle on a massive country estate in Nagano (one of several facilities) has a proportionate courtyard, which is all cobblestones covered in an intricate terracotta design, sealed against the weather. All the girls who were related to the covenant families had shown up in yukatas, and Bokuto's been strutting around in black hakama with a grey haori dangling over his bare chest.

Bokuto and his cousins- including, to the surprise of onlookers, Shimizu Kiyoko- start dancing as soon as the music is on. Moniwa Kaname and Iwaizumi Hajime both hang back from the dance floor, but Semi Eita (also dressed in hakama and haori) had begun dancing the minute his girlfriend shifted her feet. Matsukawa Issei and Hanamaki Takahiro dance with all the aplomb expected of the Seijou Meme Team, though their own girlfriends howl with laughter.

Konoha is okay, for now, blushing after Bokuto took pictures, whipping around ten minutes later to declare that 'Kaori-chan' had liked them.

Still, when the Sports Department coordinator, Shibachi-san, tells them about the upcoming Grand Festival (where every week a different team or department hosts guests) that takes place over the summer, Saru is relieved.

The second week is volleyball week, when all the teams they graduated from only months ago will be invited to take part in a training tournament. Saru hopes Fukuroudani accepts. Konoha and Bokuto will pout if they don't.

When the list of acceptances is posted, Saru is glad. Fukuroudani, Nekoma, Nohebi (it had taken three weeks to get Kuroo out of his snit when he found out Daishou and his girlfriend were attending), Karasuno, Datekou, Shiratorizawa and Seijou.

Sarukui spends his entire week of volleyball camp either playing or mentoring, taking as much of Bokuto and Konoha's slack as he can, so that they have time enough with their significant others. Onaga spends a lot of time picking Washio's brain beaming every time he's praised, just as if they were still at Fukuroudani. The new first years, who knew Akaashi as a badass captain (and Onaga as his equally badass vice captain), were in awe of the sheer physicality of their sempais own sempais.

Which wasn't really surprising, Sarukui knew. Bokuto was as much an Ace as ever, rivalling Ushijima's power with a graceful strength, raw charisma and the ability to balance out his team. Unlike Bokuto, the A-teams' vice captain, Kuroo (who filled Onaga's spot as their second middle blocker) was all lean stamina and cunning. The other new player in their setup was the equally capable Semi Eita, who was not only a good setter, but a powerful server who wasn't fooled by how good looking he was. Iwaizumi, who occasionally joined them as a spiker, was a good player, a solid one, but it was Bokuto was the Ace because of how he pulled his team together.

Having three setters and a libero who could set meant they regularly had two scrimmage games going, and the setup itself impressed the high school students. But, the music and dancing still unsettled everyone, even the coaches. After a few months at Teppodama, Saru was used to the random dance parties on the quad. He'd been corralled and cajoled into the freshmen lessons and had gotten pretty good at busting a move when he was moved to it, but Bokuto was the most spontaneous dancer he knew.

Akaashi's face when his boyfriend shook his ass to the beat of a foreign song was hilarious, but Suzumeda's wide, teary eyes as Konoha waltzed her around the gym expertly was precious. The other thing the high schoolers had to become accustomed to was the regular cross training they endured with other clubs. Usually in the evening, there was a different cross training almost every day. While you were required to attend a certain amount to remain on the team, Saru had found he liked the evening country runs with the track team, Saturday pickup games with the basketball team and the morning swims with the swim team. Yamazaki Sousuke, Nanase Haru and Midorima Shintarou weren't cuddly teddy bears, but their friends made up for it.

And even though those were Saru's favourite's, the others had theirs too. Komi liked the bike races, because being short made him more aerodynamic, but Washio loved the evening pickup games with the scowling basketball players, and it delighted Konoha to play pranks with the more mischievous baseball players between innings. Bokuto liked swimming too, but usually got stuck running the volleyball cross-training, not that he minded.

He might have to wait for things to happen- like Akaashi, and then Onaga and Suzumeda joining them- but Saru was pretty content with the life he led now.


End file.
